by Strawberry Jam | Jun 8, 2010 | Fort Lauderdale
While the cost of war for the U.S. since 2001 is said to be over one trillion dollars, there are an estimated 671,859 homeless people in America. Forty-four percent of them do not live in shelters, and 20% are individuals under the age of 18. Without a roof over your head and not knowing when or where your next meal is coming from makes even thinking about how to get back on your feet again incredibly difficult. Thankfully, there are people out there who believe that food is a right, not a privilege.
Food Not Bombs is a grassroots movement dedicated to protesting war and poverty through demonstrations and feeding our homeless. For 30 years now, chapters in over a thousand cities meet weekly to offer free, vegetarian or vegan meals to the public. This past Friday, Food Not Bombs Ft Lauderdale honored the 30th anniversary with a Really, Really Free Market, banners, information, and food.
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by Mercedes J | Jun 7, 2010 | Fort Lauderdale
Attention all Fort Liquordale barroom frequenters! Have you ever wondered where the best place downtown to take a leak is? Behold, I have the answers to your quandary.
WORST places to use the bathroom
- FAT CATS – Don’t get me wrong, I heart this bar. Where else will you find a “wheel of vomit” that brings good fortune to all who spin? But man, it sure sucks to pee here. If you need to eliminate waste in other ways besides urination, DO NOT DO IT HERE! However, here’s what you do if you have no choice but to relieve yourself at this locale. First, take a small pile of cocktail napkins from the bar with you (there is likely to be a paucity of toilet paper). When you enter the bathroom you will notice two stalls and a sink which is mysteriously wrapped in plastic wrap. Why is the sink covered with cellophane? I do not know, but that is a good question. The toilet’s flush handle won’t work, so do not even touch it! You will need to push the button located on top of the ball cock inside the toilet tank. You will find what I am talking about by identifying a small black circle with a colored dot in the middle. After you empty your bladder, take a few of the cocktail napkins you brought with you and gingerly push the ball cock button. Voila! Your elimination is safely flushed. Since you cannot wash your hands, pour some of your vodka drink over your palms and dry them on your jeans. Try not to touch anything as you exit. (more…)
by Miguel Bravo | Jun 4, 2010 | Fort Lauderdale
More than half of the parties in South Florida have nonsensical, gimmicky names that have no correlation to their respective event (ex: Dirty Hairy, Heatr, Dangerfun, etc). Regardless of whether or not you understand the name of FTLC’s first party, Under The Hood, it’s safe to say that this debut party, located at Ft. Lauderdale’s newest UNDERground music venue 1921, that will include performances by some of your favorite neighborHOOD bands, will be the hottest event going on in the 954 next Friday night. If you are still confused by the name or think that this is a flyer for some kind of monster truck rally, let me explain.
To celebrate the premiere of Ft Lauderdale’s freshest, locally focused blog, we have invited 3 local South Florida rock bands to perform for you guys: Miami indie rockers Rebel, post-punk revivalists Retrocities, and the intense duo Manifest Test Subject. In between the bands’ sets, 1921’s resident spin doctor and self-proclaimed sexiest tri-county deejay, DJ Mig Lauderdale, will be taking requests and spinning the latest in indie dance, electro pop, and hipster hop. If 3 sweet bands and a self promoting DJ wasn’t enough, there will be no cover charge at the door. The bar at 1921 is cash only, so just make sure you bring some greenbacks with you. Doors open at 10pm, and the party goes on until everyone passes out.
So come out to the party, support your local music scene, dance yourself clean, and chat with a couple of FTL’s finest amateur journalists. Make sure to invite every single person that you know. We hope to see you guys out there next Friday.
If you’ve never been to 1921, it can be tricky to find. Click here for a video that explains how to get to the club.
FTLC & 1921 present Under The Hood
1921 S. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Doors open at 10pm
No cover
by Mercedes J | Jun 4, 2010 | Fort Lauderdale
Amongst a sea of brightly colored t-shirts, I crowd surf my way to the bar. Approximately thirty minutes later, I reach my destination and order a frosty cold one from the bartender. “What the heck is going on here? It’s a weeknight!” Typically, one doesn’t think that a Tuesday would draw such a large crowd to our local watering holes. However, here in Fort Lauderdale the summer season of the World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA) has begun.
Of the multitude of enthusiastic kickballers I chatted with that night, there was one cute, 30-something year old woman that stood out; sporting pigtails and wearing a lime green t-shirt with sport shorts and multicolored knee socks, she confronts me and says “I’m Bekah!” She offers a handshake as she bounces up and down to the beats of the music playing. “So you are one of these kickball people?” I inquire. Bekah cheerfully explains that she holds the prestigious title of President to the Beach Division of the kickball community. According to Ms. President, kickball is her saving grace during a grueling work week. “Sometimes, knowing that I will play kickball later is what gets me through my day” she says with a charming smile.
“Best Parties, Best Game, Best Friends” is WAKA’s slogan. “Did you come up with that catchphrase yourself?” I asked Bekah. “Nah,” she says with a laugh. She clarified that she certainly agrees with the kickball motto, however. Bekah explains that “kickball is a very social group – therefore it is severely frowned upon if you do not go to the bar after the game.” In fact, your team can lose points that get calculated at the end of each season to determine standings if you choose not to attend the after party. Wow, that’s quite a strategy to motivate people to socialize and meet others. Oh, and by the way, Bekah is marrying the man of her dreams next month- someone she met through kickball.
Besides the benefits of exercise, finding love, and reducing your overall stress level; the sport of kickball seems to be giving our local bars some significant business. Each week after the games, kickballers come out in droves to the designated bar for the season. Assuming an average drink price of $4, 75-100 kickballers a night, 2 drinks each, and an 11 week season, each drinking establishment could make approximately $7,000. However, from what I witnessed last Tuesday, there ain’t anybody ordering only two drinks. I estimate that the profits are more like 20K per bar, per season. What would otherwise be an empty bar on a weekday evening is actually a thriving night scene. WAKA may be the big ol’ stimulus package that our local restaurant and bar industry has been waiting for. Way to support our city guys! Next week I might try to find a bright colored t-shirt from the back of my closet so I can join these guys and become friends with this Bekah chick.
For more information on how to add this fun, stress reducing hobby to your repertoire (and to keep your inner child happy), go to www.kickball.com
by Fat Hand | Jun 3, 2010 | Fort Lauderdale
What has happened to Dennis Rodman? Assuming you are the type of person that likes to hang out in bars from time to time, a couple of years ago it seemed impossible NOT to see our local basketball/alternative-lifestyle legend partying it up, singing Pearl Jam songs with whichever of our fine city’s ubiquitous cover bands happened to be playing in your favorite watering hole, classing it up with the entourage at the Blue Martini, rubbing up on girls at Exit 66, you get the idea. But no more.
Of course, there was the unfortunate domestic violence incident in Las Vegas, after which he had the standard response of telling the press he would go to rehab. But locally it was assumed he was telling us in the FTL an inside joke: that he’d be hanging out at his own Rodman’s Rehab lounge attached to Voodoo. But no, he really seems to have disappeared. Sure, there were the reality show appearances, but that cannot account for two solid years. Maybe he has forsaken Dicey Riley’s for the more luxurious surroundings of South Beach. Maybe he is finally feeling some age and has been hitting the Boca restaurant circuit instead. Maybe the rehab stuck and he has gone the way of fellow Ft. Lauderdale legend and former teammate Scottie Pippen and is now living the straight life. I really do not know. Do you? Seriously, if you have seen the Worm, please let us know about it in the comments. Because we miss him.
by Strawberry Jam | Jun 1, 2010 | Fort Lauderdale
Broward Attractions and Museums Month is Broward County’s effort to expose individuals and families to community arts from June 1-30. BAMM will allow for members already belonging to one of seventeen select organization to have access to events at fellow participating groups. The initiative is meant to entice those not already belonging to any group to join and attend events at other venues during the month of June. Organizations taking part include the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Bonnet House, Cinema Paradiso, Flamingo Gardens, and the Historic Stranahan House Museum. For a complete list of participating groups as well as a calendar of upcoming events, visit www.bamminfo.org, or check out their Facebook group here.
While the cost of war for the U.S. since 2001 is said to be over one trillion dollars, there are an estimated 671,859 homeless people in America. Forty-four percent of them do not live in shelters, and 20% are individuals under the age of 18. Without a roof over your head and not knowing when or where your next meal is coming from makes even thinking about how to get back on your feet again incredibly difficult. Thankfully, there are people out there who believe that food is a right, not a privilege.
